I'm looking into changing my name legally and looking for advice I found people recommending changing it after. However, I couldn't find the reasons for why doing it after is the easier/better route - perhaps I'm missing something. I am a permanent resident, not planning to travel until after I get my Canadian passport. I don't care to change name in my current country of citizenship, even though I am planning to retain dual citizenship after being granted the Canadian one.
I was thinking to do the name change so that's done with, and then possibly having to notify the citizenship processing officer of the name change, or if the name change is complete on time, to apply for citizenship with the new name. The only pro's I see in favor of 'after' are:
1. higher cost to change name on PR card vs citizenship certificate. But I don't 'have' to do the PR name change?
2. confusion when re-entering Canada with a PR card that has a different name than my current passport (but I am not planning to leave Canada until I get my Canadian passport with the new name).
3. No Canadian citizenship to be granted on my old name, but not sure how relevant this is? Maybe this is what I'm missing?
All the other documents would require me to change the name in the same way regardless of 'before' or 'after' citizenship, wouldn't they? Such as driver's license, health card, SIN, etc.
Processing time for a citizenship certificate is 10 months. Name change 4 months. Total 14 months waiting time after I get my citizenship.
But if I change now, I don't have that waiting time; although perhaps it will create confusion with my citizenship application and delay by 1-2 months.
I was thinking to do the name change so that's done with, and then possibly having to notify the citizenship processing officer of the name change, or if the name change is complete on time, to apply for citizenship with the new name. The only pro's I see in favor of 'after' are:
1. higher cost to change name on PR card vs citizenship certificate. But I don't 'have' to do the PR name change?
2. confusion when re-entering Canada with a PR card that has a different name than my current passport (but I am not planning to leave Canada until I get my Canadian passport with the new name).
3. No Canadian citizenship to be granted on my old name, but not sure how relevant this is? Maybe this is what I'm missing?
All the other documents would require me to change the name in the same way regardless of 'before' or 'after' citizenship, wouldn't they? Such as driver's license, health card, SIN, etc.
Processing time for a citizenship certificate is 10 months. Name change 4 months. Total 14 months waiting time after I get my citizenship.
But if I change now, I don't have that waiting time; although perhaps it will create confusion with my citizenship application and delay by 1-2 months.
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